I don't hate the pick. BC made his decision based on our needs instead of getting the BPA. That's either gonna end up being really smart, or bit us in the ass HARD. I'm not as excited about it, but I'm willing to give Terrence Ross a chance to prove himself before I judge whether this was a bust or not.

BC made the pick because of
1) he is athletic
2) he is 21 (more NBA ready than a 19 year old)
3) he can shoot

NBA projection:
Ross has been projected as a mid first-round pick. He’s got pro size, athleticism and range on his jump shot. He’ll be a tough cover in the NBA, especially if he can add some weight and strength.

Cool statistic:
Ross was at his best in the postseason, averaging 25.0 points in four NIT games. He shot .405 from the 3-point line (.405) and was perfect (15 of 15) from the free-throw line.

Reminds me of:
MarShon Brooks

What Insiders Say:
Washington coach Lorenzo Romar
"When Terrence gets it rolling you almost have to send two guys at him to get the ball out of his hands. He can continue to back up because is range is so deep, and if you come up too far, then he can finish over the top of you or post you up. You have to keep him from getting going, because once he does you have to find some way to take the ball out of his hands."

Washington assistant coach Jim Shaw
"Really good players have an identity and they're known for something," Shaw told the Seattle Times. "For Terrence, when he's making shots that is his identity. Not that he's not a good player and he does other things, but that's still his identity."

What Outsiders Say:
Arizona coach Sean Miller
"The combination of Terrence Ross and Tony Wroten is really a 1-2 punch that you have to be ready to deal with. Tonight they were terrific. They almost had 50 points between two players."

If we're going to be using a pick-and-roll offense increasingly, he's really the perfect guy for that pick-and-pop threat, or as the guy getting open for the baseline three-point kickout. I know that some people are saying he can't coexist with DeRozan, but to me he fits the role that I've been saying we need to pair with DD: a wing-player who has fantastic range and who can take the tougher defensive assignment. It'll take a while for Ross to be a great defender at the NBA level, but there's definitely that possibility.

I see him starting out with Barbosa's minutes and role last year... keep him coming in off the bench so he can establish himself against second units, and then just manage his playing time based on his effort and whether he's hot.

If we're going to be using a pick-and-roll offense increasingly, he's really the perfect guy for that pick-and-pop threat, or as the guy getting open for the baseline three-point kickout. I know that some people are saying he can't coexist with DeRozan, but to me he fits the role that I've been saying we need to pair with DD: a wing-player who has fantastic range and who can take the tougher defensive assignment. It'll take a while for Ross to be a great defender at the NBA level, but there's definitely that possibility.

I see him starting out with Barbosa's minutes and role last year... keep him coming in off the bench so he can establish himself against second units, and then just manage his playing time based on his effort and whether he's hot.

I was thinking the same thing about Ross. He reminds me of the same type of SG that Anthony Parker was when he first came to the Raptors. He didn't need the ball very often, he was a smart player with good instincts and court vision, above average perimeter defender and reliable outside shooter. I remember Parker always hitting a corner 3 "from downtown Markham" within the first few minutes of every game (to keep that 3pt game streak alive) and just being that solid, reliable, unspectacular, selfless, 2-way kind of player that Ross could very well become.

I was thinking the same thing about Ross. He reminds me of the same type of SG that Anthony Parker was when he first came to the Raptors. He didn't need the ball very often, he was a smart player with good instincts and court vision, above average perimeter defender and reliable outside shooter. I remember Parker always hitting a corner 3 "from downtown Markham" within the first few minutes of every game (to keep that 3pt game streak alive) and just being that solid, reliable, unspectacular, selfless, 2-way kind of player that Ross could very well become.

decent comparison, but keep in mind Ross is one of the most athletic players in the draft.

decent comparison, but keep in mind Ross is one of the most athletic players in the draft.

Parker was pretty athletic in his prime as well, but most of it was spent playing overseas. I was just comparing styles/strengths. I think Ross will be much better overall, but that's the sort of role I envision BC/DC having in mind for him. If Bargnani and a yet-to-be-determined SF (could be DD) are the 2 main offensive weapons, with JV providing post-up/put-back offense and the yet-to-be-determined PG able to penetrate or hit open 3pt shots (Nash or Calderon fit the bill), then Ross playing a more athletic Parker-esque role as #3 scoring option would seem to be a great fit. The fact that he can also get out and run in transition and create for himself in isolation is a further bonus.

No one in the Toronto Raptors organization is pretending that this is anything but that. They wanted Dion Waiters. They wanted Harrison Barnes. Those guys were gone by eight and the Raptors couldn't do anything about it, so they went with the next name on their list in Thursday night's NBA draft: Terrence Ross.

In a way it's funny that he dropped out of the conversation, though. Considering that since the season ended the Raptors were presumed to be looking to trade this pick to grab an athletic swingman that could play defence and shoot threes, should it really be such a surprise they targeted a rookie that excelled in those areas? Ross was a better three-point shooter (.371) than both Rivers (.365) and Lamb (.368) last season, he's two inches bigger than both of them and he is tremendously more adept as a defender. He's the kind of player that can come into an NBA game today and put points on the board, but unlike most players of his ilk in recent years (MarShon Brooks, Nick Young) he'll put in the work at the other end of the court, as well, which is a must if you are going to earn minutes under Raptors' head coach Dwane Casey.

Once the club had to settle for a third tier guy, then Ross made as much sense as any player on the board for Toronto. But being the first team in the draft that has to accept a player from the next tier down will always dim the excitement level for a franchise and its fan base. As a team you always want to WANT the guy you're drafting, and even Casey and Bryan Colangelo couldn't hide their disappointment on Thursday night when Ross was the player that they had to select. They are happy to bring him aboard, he fits what they are doing and the needs of the roster, but there was no denying that he was not their first choice heading into the draft.

• You do not get your first choice if you have the eighth pick. The Raptors likely would have scooped up either Syracuse shooting guard Dion Waiters, Weber State point guard Damian Lillard or Barnes. They went fourth, sixth and seventh overall, respectively. There were discussions about trading up, but that dance requires two parties. On Tuesday, here is what Raptors president and general manager Bryan Colangelo said about moving up: “Teams that put those picks in play create a bit of a bidding war. You don’t necessarily want to get caught up in that because you don’t want to give up too much to get just a little. And maybe moving up gets you a little.”

• Connecticut guard Jeremy Lamb was a favourite of the Raptors for the early part of the draft process, with some in the organization in love with his pure talent. He was just not tough enough for the Raptors, though, and it had nothing to do with him spraining his ankle in his lone workout in Toronto. Ultimately, the Raptors decided that when defenders were physical with Lamb, he disappeared in games.

• If you read between the lines, the eighth pick came down to picking between Ross and Duke guard Austin Rivers, son of Doc. Here is Casey on Rivers: “He’s a point guard. He’s got to have the ball in his hands, where we felt like we still needed shooters. I think Austin’s going to be an excellent NBA player. But we needed shooters. [Ross] is a more accomplished shooter right now.”

• This is not a defence of the pick; it could very well end up being a disaster. It is possible that even if Ross has a nice career, Drummond, Lamb and Rivers (and Barnes, Lillard and Waiters) will have better ones. Ultimately, Colangelo said Ross was both his top overall talent and top fit available. Colangelo’s contract could expire at the end of next season — ownership could pick up a one-year option to keep him through 2013-14. Even though rookies cannot be fairly judged until three or four years into their careers, Colangelo is betting quite a bit that Ross was a solid pick.

From my totally unknowledgeable vantage point (I have no idea who Terrence Ross and hadn't heard of him until last night), it appears to be that this was a "safe" pick for Colangelo. A guy who can likely come in and contribute sooner rather than later. When your goals are to make the playoffs and keep your job, taking the safe guy makes far more sense than rolling the dice on a guy like Drummond who may need 3-4 years. BC already took a small gamble on JV last year.

BC's plan looks a little clearer now: he's going back toward his Phoenix formula that he tried to emulate here from 06-08. Nash, an offensive big in the pick and roll, surrounded by shooters. The x-factor, presumably, will be Casey's defensive strategy/tactics. It's a long way from completion but at least there appears to be some sort of plan, unlike the last 4 years....